Detroit Institute of Arts program coming to Rochester Hills, Pontiac this spring

The Oakland Press/DUSTIN BLITCHOK
Bob Waun, left, president of Bankers Home Loan, Kathie Henk, owner of The Henk Studio in downtown Pontiac, Mayor Leon Jukowski and Downtown Business Association President Glen Konopaskie stand with "Selene and Endymion," an oil painting by Nicolas Poussin dating to 1630. A reproduction of the painting will be displayed in downtown Pontiac this spring.

DETROIT -- Pontiac and Rochester Hills will participate in the Detroit Institute of Arts' Inside|Out program for the first time this spring, with reproductions of museum pieces on display in outdoor public places.

The cities are two of eight Oakland County communities taking part in this year's program.

"I think it's a great thing that we're bringing art back to downtown Pontiac," Mayor Leon Jukowski said Friday while standing in the museum's ornate Crystal Gallery.

"Years ago, when the Strand Theatre was open, downtown Pontiac was a center of the arts in Oakland County, and this is the first step in reviving that."

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Seven painting reproductions will be displayed in downtown Pontiac, including masterpieces such as "The Nightmare" by Henry Fuseli and "The Wedding Dance" by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

Other Oakland County communities where artwork will be displayed as part of Inside|Out include Hazel Park, Novi and Walled Lake in the spring, and Berkley, Huntington Woods and Pleasant Ridge in the summer. Inside|Out will reach 25 Detroit-area communities this year.

In Rochester Hills, seven paintings will be displayed at locations such as the Village of Rochester Hills shopping center and in city parks.

"This is a great opportunity for our residents to experience art while visiting many of the great places our community has to offer, and we are excited to partner with the Village of Rochester Hills on this cool initiative," said Mayor Bryan Barnett.

The marketing director for the Village of the Rochester Hills shopping center, at Adams Road and Walton Boulevard, said the center essentially is the city's downtown.

"The reason we were so excited is because we have so much foot traffic, and the opportunity for people to walk up and get close and personal with those art pieces," said Shelleen McHale.

The DIA's chief operating officer said Inside|Out is an example of regional outreach after the passage of a 0.2-mill property tax for the museum by voters in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties in August.

"I cannot tell you what an important and critical vote that was," said Annmarie Erickson.

The program includes community weekends, where residents of participating cities can visit the museum, where they'll receive discounts at the CaféDIA, museum shop and elsewhere, and see the original art that was reproduced and displayed outdoors.

Pontiac's Inside|Out community weekend is April 27-29, and Rochester Hills' is May 4-5.

The Inside|Out program, in its fourth year, is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The idea of displaying art reproductions in public places was pioneered by The National Gallery in London, and was first done at the Detroit Institute of Arts to coincide with the museum's 125th anniversary, said the DIA's Erickson.

"It was amazing, the response we received. People were so thrilled to come upon these works out of the blue," she said.

"I remember that one of them was in a dog park in Lake Orion, and we got so many pictures sent to us of (people's) dogs next to a (painting) of dogs."

Glen Konopaskie, president of the Pontiac Downtown Business Association, said the city will have its own take on Inside|Out this year: Canvas Pontiac, which will feature artwork mounted on at least 20 buildings downtown for three to four months.

"It will start with Pontiac artists, and if Pontiac artists can't produce enough, then we'll go beyond the city limits," Konopaskie said.

"2013 is the year when we accelerate Pontiac's transition into a safe, walkable, live, work (and) play community," he said.

Bob Waun, president of the Birmingham-based Bankers Home Loan, recently purchased two buildings in downtown Pontiac. He was at the Detroit Institute of Arts on Friday.

"All of the stars are aligning right now," Waun said. "Pontiac is the fastest transformation of a downtown along Woodward yet."

FYI

For more information, "like" Inside|Out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dia.insideout, visit the museum's website at www.dia.org, or call 313-833-7900. The Detroit Institute of Arts is at 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit.